Electrically-illuminated clock.



E. El. CLEMENT. ELEGTRIGALLY ILLUMINATED CLOCK.

APPLICATION IILBD JUNE 29, 1910.

1,096,682. Patented May 12, 1914.

so when illuminated; together-they -form coin-N lli PATENT omnes.'v

EDWARD Ef'. CLEMENT,- or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

ELEC'IBICALLY-ILLUMINATED CLOCK.

Speoication of'Letters Patent.

original appiicauon ales april is, 19in, serial N. 556,213. Divided and 1am. Serin Ne. ceases.

Patented May 12, 1914.. thisapplication led June 29,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, EDWARD E. CLEMENT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residingat. Washington, inthe District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements` in Electrically Illuminated Clocks, of which the followin is aspecification, reference being had t erein-to the accompanying drawing. l 4

My invention relates to .electric clocks and has .for its object the product-ion of an illuminated -dial which may be employed either by litself or in connection with a mechanical clock; and which durin the dark hpurs will show successively i lumina'ted portions corresponding tothe hour and-min-fr ute hands of `the mechanical movement.

The present application is a division of my -prlor application, Serial No'. 556,213, filed April 18, 1910, in whicha complete system of circuits, switches, driving mecha' nism, dials, chimes, etc., is disclosed; I shall claim .herein only the dial and lassociated parts, and for the. latter including the actuatincircuits, I refer not only to the aforesai application, 'but also to Letters Patent No.` 920,024 granted to me April 27, 1909, and to my prior application Serial No. 498,369, filed May 25, 1909. My invention 1s illustrated in' the accompanying drawin in Which.` p

Figure 1 is a ace view of a quadrant sector-of a dial' h/avin .non-o a ue Ortions representin the han s in di erent positions and means or illuminating the same insuccession, Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modiication. J Fig, 3 is a radialcross section of Fig. 1. Figa is a similar radial .cross'section 0f Fig- 2.

Referring to the drawings, A 1s the dial,

mounted on'anysuitable frame, and painted.

or otherwise provided with opaque portions A', leaving transparentv or translucent portions A2 andA3 representing'the hour and minute hands respectively in successive an .l gular positions around the dial at one min# nte intervals. The outer transparent portion A2 representsthe minute handI and' the inner ortion A4 represents the hour-hand. :It wi 4be noted these [are so sha-Ped .that

plete minute hand extendingfroxn'the cen.-v ter to thecircumierenoe; Vbut whenA the por.-

- dien A" is lllim.:instelle'V itself, itreprents'.

the hour hand only, has 1 may. produce all the positions of both hands econo1nically by' combining these different indications,

In order to illuminate -the transparencies representingthe hands, I provide lamps M and H, the former relating to the mlnute hands, and the latter relating particularly to the hourhands. These lamps are in pairs,

Veach pair inclosed in a radial chamber or box Cf Whose Walls cut off all Side rays and which is provided 'with a partition C2 to confine the rays of each lamp to its ,own portion of the transparency. These-boxes C are also located at one .minute intervals all around the clock dial, each box lying Idirectly under one of the transparencies A2 and A3. The illumination .of a particular lamp H Will light upthe corresponding hour hand only, but the illumination of both H and M will light up both the. hour..

and minut-e portions so as to. show the complete minute hand. The chamber containing the lamp H is provided with a reflector l1, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. On thisrdial the ixed numerals 1, 2 and 3, etc., may be shown `in any desired manner, but preferably will be transparencies similar to the hands permanently illuminated from behind the dial by small fixed lamps constantly burning.

Referring noW to Fig. 2, I have therein shown a modification in which radial sets o fijewels are employed in an opaque dial instead of the painted transparent figures of the hands. LThese jewels may be made in any shape or any size desired and are illuminated in. the same manner as the trans arencies A2 and A3. In one portion of -thls figure at A*i I have shown the dial perfectly plain, and' in thisA case it is supposed to be of ground glass, with the boxes `C behind it, the same as in Fig. 1. The successive lighting of the lamps H and M Will produce the impression of hands, Without any outlines 'on the dial, and this is a modification which can most easily be ap; plied to` existing mechanical tovver clocks, which have generally had their dials illuminated throughout, .so 'as .to shovgr the moving hands in their various positlons. It is obvious thatto provide auxiliar-y s H and M in boxes Cbehind. the

.lamp

glass or other translucent dial usual ground or in front of a solid dial, will notonl'y re.-4

Ibut in n'eatv econ.-

561er. Ofi--surfent .11.1. S901 los l lamp or lamps would be employed, such as the ring lamps a, and also lixed lamps around the periphery to illuminate the hour numerals and if desired the minute polnts.

I am aware that a number of modilica- .l

tions` can be made in the invention thus described, such for example in covering each box C with glass and painting the outline of hands on the glass. I desire it understood however that all non-essential changes and modifications are contemplated by me as within. the scope and 'purviewr of the invention and of the appended claims.

It will be understood that the lamps II and M are to be lighted in succession 'by' the circuits in any of my prior cases -hereinbefore referred to which are not at present described. J

Having thus described my invention-what I claim and desire to secure by Letters 'Patent is- 1. In a system of the class described, an electric clock without moving parts, comprising -the following instrumentalities: a series of boxes or channels arranged radially in a circularj ligure, corresponding to successive positions of clock hands advancing minute by minute around the dial, each channel having a partition dividing it intotwo portions and each portion free of' partitions throughout its length, that portion extending from the partition tothe center ,corresponding to the `hour hand of the clock, and that portion extending from the partition outwardly corresponding to the extension or head of the minute hand; and separate illuminating means included in each portion of'each box, so arranged that the illumination of theinner portion of one -box will suggest the hour hand 'in a corresponding position, the illumination of both portions of any box will suggest the minute hand in that position, and at points Vwhere the hands would pass each other, as at twelve oclock noon, the illumination of both portions of one box or channel but no otheI` will suggest the coincidence ofthe hands.y

2. Ina system of the-clam described, an

i electric clock without moving parts, comprising the following instrumentalities: a series'of illumin-able' boxes or channels arranged radiallyin a-circular ligure to represent the hour and minute hands ofa clock in'corresponding angular positions, a series Y of non-illuminable spaces alternating there-,

with,V means within said illuminable boxes to cut off radial rayswhich lwould lcause 'in-v terference between. the hour and minute indications. Y

- 3.v In a system of the class described, an electric .clock without moving parts, oo mprising the following instrumentalitiesf a dial of light transmitting material, walls forming a series of illuminable spacesl arranged radially in a circular vfigure around of an hour hand.

one side 0f said dial, their angular pitions corresponding to those successivelyfoccu;l pied by the hour and minute hands of an ordinary clock in progressing around the dial, said dial being partially opaqued to define, in front of each space when illumined, a radial bar vof light shaped so that its outer end will represent the head vof a minutehand, and an intermediate point the head v5 4.' In a system of the class described, an

electric clock without moving parts comprising the following instrumentalities: walls forming a series of spaces arranged radially in a circular figure every other one of which is provided with means of illumination and with 'a translucent cover or front wall, the alternate spaces being without illumination and having opaque front walls which adj oin Y the saidtranslucent covers or front walls. s 35 5. In a system of the class described, an electric clock without moving parts compris- 'ing the f following instrumentalities'; walls forming a series of radial illuminable spaces arranged in a circular ligure eachspacehaving .opaque sides and a translucentcover -or front wall adapted when the cham'ber is illuminated to define a radial bar of -light simulating in contour the superposed hands of a clock and in such proportions of length that the outer end of the'hour hand-terminantes inside the head ofthe minute hand, and a partition within each space situated at said ointof termination.'

:6l n a system of thev cla s described, an 100 electric clock withoutmoving parts comprising the following instrumentalities: walls forming a series of radial illuminable spaces arranged in a circular' figure each space having opaque sides and -a translucent cover adapted, when the space is illuminated, to define a radial bar of light simulating in contour the superposed hands of a clock in such proportions of length thatfthe outer end or point of the hour hand terminates inside the head of the minute hand, a partition within the chamber situated at said point of termination, and a second partition at the point`of the minute hand together with means forv continuously illuminating ythe space outside of .the said second partition a for indicating the minute graduations around the dial of the clock.

7. In a sistem of the class described,- an electric cloc wwithout moving parts compris- 12 ing theV following instrumentalities: .walls s forming a series of radial s aces `arranged in a circular `figure corres on ing to successive lpositions of clock han s'advancing minute by minute around the.- dial, each space hav- 12! ing a art 1t1o nd1v1d1ng it-Linto two parts, each o said parts being free ofl artitions throu hout itslength, whereby t e whole of eac part may be illuminated by a single source of light, the inner one of said parts 13| prising the following instrumentalities: a

plurality of channel members radiating from a common center, and an electric lamp secured within the outer portion of each channel' member and arranged to throw its light l out ofthe 'open top of the channel throughout its entire length, whereby the intensity of illumination will be greater near the extremity of the channels.

9. In a system` of the class described, an electric clock without moving parts, comprising the following instrumentalities: a plurality of channel members radiatingfroma common center, an electric lampvsecured within the youter portion of each channel member, and a reflecting member within each channel shaped-.so as to receive lighty radiating from the lamp toward the center and reflect it upwardly throughout the length of the channel, producing a radial bar of light with increased brightness at its outer extremity.

10. In a system of the class described, an

Aelectric clock without moving parts, conrprising the following instrumentalities: a plurality of channel members or boxes C radiating from a common center, said boxes v having closed ends, bottoms and sides, but

open tops, electric lamps secured in the outer portions of the channels, and a reflector h in each channel extending from the lamp toward the inner end of the channel andy bending upwardly' soas to reflect all light received from the lamp out of the open top of the channel.

11. In a system of the class described, an. electric clock without moving parts, vcom'- prisingy the following instrumentalities: a circular succession of radial boxes or channels C open in front for the emission of light, a partition c2 in each box dividing it into two sections corresponding in length to the hour and minute hands of a clock respectively, an electric lamp I-I secured within and at the outer extremity of the hour portion of the box,and a lamp M similarly secured within the minute portion, whereby the successive lighting of the lamps H will produce apparent movement of an hour hand around the dial, while the successive lighting of pairs of lamps H and M will produce for illuminating each of said radial light boxes, and means permanently illuminating said central circle, whereby each radial ,beam

of light emanates from said central circle of light.

'apparent movement of aminute hand around 13. In a system of the class described, an i electric clock without moving parts com,V

prising the following instrumentalities: a circular series of adjacent boxes extending radially from a common point, each box having opaque side walls and each box Voccupying theposition of an hour orminute p clock hand at one point in its rotation around 4the dial, an independently illuminable source o'f light in each-box, vand means for projecting the light from each box when its source of light is illuminated, so as to convey to the eye of the observer substantially the outline of an hour or minute clock hand.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD E. CLEMENT.

Witnesses:

THOMAS DURANT, H. G.LwENsTEIN. v 

